Jaffrey youth theater program takes Shakespeare appeal online

Project Shakespeare launched an IndieGoGO campaign Saturday to raise money to send students to England in August to perform their production of Hamlet at Stratford-upon-Avon. Arthur Gould, 19, of Antrim sword fights Christopher Commander, 20, of Jaffrey in an excerpt of Project Shakespeare's Hamlet at Jaffrey Riverfest in July. Photo (MEGHAN PIERCE PHOTO)

JAFFREY — Efforts to send Project Shakespeare students across the pond to perform in the Bard's homeland have gone online.

Project Shakespeare launched an IndieGoGO campaign Saturday to raise money to send nine students to England in August to perform its student production of Hamlet on the Royal Shakespeare Company's outdoor stage in Stratford-upon-Avon.

The youth theater program was chosen to perform with the Royal Shakespeare Company last summer; efforts to raise the $30,000 for the trip have been ongoing.

"It is a big honor and it is a first," said Deborah S. Thurber, artist director of Project Shakespeare.

Over $10,000 has been raised from the community through private donations. Project Shakespeare also hopes to garner grants for the trip.

The aim of the IndieGoGo campaign is to raise a third of the costs, $10,000.

Thurber said the community has been generous so far.

"Tell your friends, tell your friends to tell their friends because that's how we will make our money through the connections that we all have. We have to cast a large web these days," Thurber said.

The campaign's home page is igg.me/at/PSattheRSC. Or visit IndieGoGo.com and enter Project Shakespeare Goes to England in the search box.